Narrative:

We were cleared direct to the airport by valley approach with a request to call the airport in sight. As the airport came into sight from behind a few scattered clouds (we were unfamiliar with the area) I realized we were high and in close. The copilot called the airport in sight and we were cleared for the visibility approach and directed to contact the mc allen tower. As the copilot switched frequencys to tower I called for flaps and shortly after called the gear. Tower had cleared an small aircraft into position on the runway. At that time another aircraft called the tower (I believe an small transport, but I'm not sure) VFR, and the ensuring conversation prevented us from calling tower. When we were approximately 1/2-3/4 mi on final and getting slowed for final flaps the tower cleared the small aircraft for takeoff, which he did. We continued on our approach and landed. There was no conflict that I'm aware of. On our rollout tower informed us that we had landed west/O clearance. The copilot responded that the conversation between tower and the other aircraft made it hard to get a word in prior to landing, and that he felt that under the circumstances landing was the safest thing to do. I thought we had been cleared to land. The last minute rush to get the aircraft ready to land from a close in visibility and the coincidental call to tower from the other aircraft at the same time we needed to call are in my mind the 2 biggest factors for me not realizing we were cleared to land. When things get rushed, it's time to watch out! Note: the copilot was also captain qualified on the aircraft. In retrospect, I do agree with his assessment that the best thing to do was land the aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORP ACFT LANDS WITHOUT CLRNC ON HANDOFF FROM APCH.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO THE ARPT BY VALLEY APCH WITH A REQUEST TO CALL THE ARPT IN SIGHT. AS THE ARPT CAME INTO SIGHT FROM BEHIND A FEW SCATTERED CLOUDS (WE WERE UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA) I REALIZED WE WERE HIGH AND IN CLOSE. THE COPLT CALLED THE ARPT IN SIGHT AND WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VIS APCH AND DIRECTED TO CONTACT THE MC ALLEN TWR. AS THE COPLT SWITCHED FREQS TO TWR I CALLED FOR FLAPS AND SHORTLY AFTER CALLED THE GEAR. TWR HAD CLRED AN SMA INTO POS ON THE RWY. AT THAT TIME ANOTHER ACFT CALLED THE TWR (I BELIEVE AN SMT, BUT I'M NOT SURE) VFR, AND THE ENSURING CONVERSATION PREVENTED US FROM CALLING TWR. WHEN WE WERE APPROX 1/2-3/4 MI ON FINAL AND GETTING SLOWED FOR FINAL FLAPS THE TWR CLRED THE SMA FOR TKOF, WHICH HE DID. WE CONTINUED ON OUR APCH AND LANDED. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT THAT I'M AWARE OF. ON OUR ROLLOUT TWR INFORMED US THAT WE HAD LANDED W/O CLRNC. THE COPLT RESPONDED THAT THE CONVERSATION BTWN TWR AND THE OTHER ACFT MADE IT HARD TO GET A WORD IN PRIOR TO LNDG, AND THAT HE FELT THAT UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES LNDG WAS THE SAFEST THING TO DO. I THOUGHT WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO LAND. THE LAST MINUTE RUSH TO GET THE ACFT READY TO LAND FROM A CLOSE IN VIS AND THE COINCIDENTAL CALL TO TWR FROM THE OTHER ACFT AT THE SAME TIME WE NEEDED TO CALL ARE IN MY MIND THE 2 BIGGEST FACTORS FOR ME NOT REALIZING WE WERE CLRED TO LAND. WHEN THINGS GET RUSHED, IT'S TIME TO WATCH OUT! NOTE: THE COPLT WAS ALSO CAPT QUALIFIED ON THE ACFT. IN RETROSPECT, I DO AGREE WITH HIS ASSESSMENT THAT THE BEST THING TO DO WAS LAND THE ACFT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.